Vapor electric lamp installation



Nov. 9, 1943. A. WARSHER 2,333,694

VAPOR ELECTRIC LAMP INSTALLATION l Filed Feb. 20, 1941 lilla- INVENTOR Maw SIM ATTORNEY 5 Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITEDSTTS PATENT om@ Adolphr-warsher, Maywood, J., -`assignor toiDur-o Test .'Corporation, North BergemuN. J., a co1'- Eventi@ Delaware l Y Appiicatin Februar-yan, 1941 serial No. 379,760

@claims (c1.`17 3323)4 Among the objects of the present invention are to provide equipment of reduced cost but of greatly improved and finished-appearance yby which the installation ofv vapor electric lamps'is facilitated, with complete Asecurity thereof electrically and mechanically.

Another object is toprovide a simple and inexpensive lamp socketlun'it, lforjthe above purpose, that may be applied "instantly to alamp carrying fixture and that accommodates the end prongs of a vapor electric lamp installed therein,` all With the attainment of'the facility and security above set forth.

In the accompanying drawing in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a, plan view of the spring socket unit,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a rear plan view of the device,

Fig. 5 is a View in longitudinal cross-section with parts broken away showing one embodiment of the complete installation,

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a modified form of socket block, and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary transverse section through Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing, the invention involves the use of a spring urged socket for one or both terminal ends of the lamp. The socket unit in one embodiment involves a socket block I carrying the contact springs II for the prongs or other terminal elements I2 at one end of the lamp.

The block I E) is assembled to a face plate I3 through a central aperture I4 in which it is exposed. The block is slidably mounted in the face plate and spring urged outwardly to a limiting position determined by projections, desirably diametrically opposite lugs I and I6 on the socket block which engage the innerlsde of the face plate I3.

In the embodiment of the construction specifically shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the socket block is of molded material with passages 9 therethrough enlarged at their outer ends as shown for accommodating the contact springs I I. Stems 8 of contact springs II extend through the block and are twisted at their protruding ends II' serving for anchoring the contacts in place and for attachment thereto of terminals or wire leads (not shown). The lugs I5 and I6 are unitary with a sheet metal ring I1 molded into the block and concentric therewith. Rods I8 and I8 headed at their forward ends 20 extendthrough the face plate andals'othrough the Yapertures 2I in the lugs l5 and IBand-areencircledby coilsprings 22 which-'react againstastop, desirably in the form'of across strap 23 connecting the inner ends of the ro'ds," which are headedthereover. at 2li. While the' face platemay be of any ofnumerous possible constructions, a cqnvention'aloutlet' box plug button withperipheralspringiingers 25 is desirablyemployed.` Y l ,j L

The'unit described lends'itself readily for application to more or less conventional fixtures for vapor electric lamps, more especially those commonly used for fluorescent lamps. Such nxtures include ordinarily a base 26 which may house the starting appliance diagrammatically indicated at 21 and end walls or brackets 28 and 29 that mount the lamp socket units. The end brackets have circular holes h of size to accommodate the face plate of the spring socket. It will .be understood that the electric wires will be connected to the terminal lugs II on the inner ends of contact sleeves, whereupon the spring socket unit would be simply snapped into the hole h by the spring fingers 25 on lts face plate I3 as shown in Fig. 5, which completes the fixture assembly. The lamp is readily installed in the fixture by inserting the prongs into the contact sleeves II of one socket block (illustratively the right one in Fig. 5), pressing the latter inward to vbring the opposite prongs into alignment with the contact sleeves at the opposite end as shown in Fig. 5, whereupon the expansion of the compressed springs 22 will urge the socket block outwardly, securely to retain the lamp in position with its prongs in the respective contact sleeves at the opposite ends of the fixture.

As a matter of uniformity and convenience, the spring socket unit shown is preferably used at both brackets of the xture, so that the lamp can be inserted by introducting either end first. It

will be understood, however, that the structure would be operative if one of the sockets only were of the spring type and the other were of rigid type.

In Figs. 6 and 7 is shown an additional embodiment in which the socket block comprises a sheet metal cup 30 with outstanding lugs 3| having a pair of insulating plates or disks 32 and 32' desirably of laminated plastic peripherally clamped against the inturned rim 33 by tangs 34 struck out from the side wall thereof. The contact sleeves 35 protrude beyond the cup 3!) to terminal lugs 35. They are mounted in corresponding apertures through insulating plate 32' and their root ends are outturned at 36 to form flanges clamped between the two plates 32 and 32'. The outer disk 32 has apertures 31 smaller than those accommodating sleeves 35 through which the prongs l2 are introduced. The socket block of Figs. 6 and 7 is simply an alternative for that of Figs. 2 and 3 for which it may b e substituted in a'js'pringl'socketiunit otherwise identical with that of Figs. 1 to 4.'

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely dif-` ferent embodiments of this invention. could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that ali-matter.containedl in the above description or shown in ythe"accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense: t p

Having thus described my invention,x what I claim as new and desire to secure by`-Letters Patent-is:i Y A. t

lie Sarina Secte-temi., for, a. vagar; eleetri lamp OQm 'j iflingla, aeiplate; as'ccket -lolgclfzx. -A tending ,thrdughaoefsplrdngl apertrein said plate and' having, contacts. therein, lugs' unitary with'fs'aid bloclian'd radtingQt'hereirom alongthe underside o'f.; 'fac plate; 'odsgtliroughj 'said face plateanldfisalid"lugs,I coilsprings'abo `4ij/safi'd reggiana means; sustaining arev `cui siirifigs t@ press' againstfsadlg's i 2.' A"'spri1g""sclet" unit forza1 vapprgelec'tri lamp .comprisnga fac,e .,plate;`. asfciclet 'l'oc'lzl extending through an aperture therein, Contact sleeves through said block for terminal prongs of a lamp, a stop plate rigid with said block and extending along the rear of said face plate, rods through said face plate and said stop plate, coil springs encircling said rods and a backing lplate connecting the free ends of said rods and supporting saidcoil springs,Y v

'32 A'spring 'socket unit for a Vapor electric lamp comprising a metal face plate, an insulating molded socket block having a pair of contact sleeves therein for accommodating the plfQngs `O f"i a lampland having lateral diametrically opposite stopl ,lugsvrnolded therein, a pair of paralleI- rodseztending; through said face plate and 'i said,fs;tcp`fli`i`gfsg1 vcoil springs thereabout and a connecting plate between the free ends of said rodsgcsustainingythe.corresponding ends of the @gils-ritmes- V4. A spring socket unit for a vapor electric lamp, @mariana-ai cirulfrffae; plate hav-ine nernheralispriaa @agiles adapted-rtv besnapped inta. ai Carresnoridma opening Qfa. supportata: tura apair-affnaral1el rQdaiQarried-hy -saidplata Cgil; Seriega bhereabout. means; Sustaining-the ends 0f Said Springs and.;a5Selethloglst'pmtrudh 111gtliieuah accetta! @eerwrainSaid1fa.Qe.-pl@te wir @wirwar with @Geraet sleeves; Said. black havingflues rigid therewithftrayersed battere.- Saeivafrpdaaedaeaiaittwhichthe.maar the C011 .Seimas heette. 

